Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Reed checked his reflection in the mirror, ensuring that he looked resplendent, but most of all, respectable.
Tonight could become profitable—or detrimental, depending on how well he was able to keep his frustration with Miss Sariah Kent in check.
He decided that she was capable of testing the patience of saints and he was far from one of those.
Worse yet, was how much she also tempted him.
She struck a chord with his baser urges, and that was nothing he needed to acknowledge when he was focused on growing the shipping business.
Nevertheless, he had found himself thinking of little else but the vixen from the moment he’d walked into the parlor and saw those amber eyes swing in his direction.
Combined with those brilliant, dark locks, it really was a striking combination.
If she decided to debase herself and work at one of the local brothels, she could easily gain enough blunt in the first year to secure permanent lodgings for the rest of her days.
Men paid handsomely for something of value and she was certainly unique, a prized artifact.
Reed just had to keep reminding himself that he had no need for such trinkets.
However, when he arrived at the baron’s household that evening, he found that his carefully practiced speech abruptly burned to ash.
He stood in the midst of the foyer and was present the moment she descended the stairs.
She was wearing an elegant, blue and white striped silk gown with a feather tucked into her dark curls.
Not only did she cause Reed’s heart to cease beating, but she quite literally took his breath away.
He had to look away so that he could properly compose himself as she drew near.
“Mr. Carrington,” she greeted coolly.
Ah, yes. The ice queen. “Miss Kent. How lovely to see you again. I trust you are in good health?”
As suspected, the barb hit its mark and she glared at him. “Indeed, sir. I have never been better. Of course, now that I am standing here with you, I do feel a bit nauseated.”
His lips twitched and he had to fight the urge to laugh. He had always appreciated a lady with a rapier wit and Miss Kent possessed those talents in spades. “I am sorry to hear that, of course. Perhaps you might require some fresh air, or better yet, a visit to Bath to test the waters there?”
Her lips tightened. “No doubt you would like another opportunity to humiliate me in a different part of England. That is, unless word has already reached there.”
Damn, but he was enjoying this exchange entirely too much. “I am certain it has. In that regard, you might be better served in Scotland at Loch Ness. I know I would prefer the lengthy distance."
A haughty gasp escaped her lips, but any retort she might have made was erased by the arrival of the baron and his wife.
They greeted him politely, and together, expressing a united front, they all left the house and entered their waiting carriage.
Reed was seated next to Sariah and he nearly chuckled at the way she moved as far away from him as possible, as though he carried the plague.
He yearned to bedevil her further, but he couldn’t risk antagonizing the baron.
Her father’s influence was far too important when it came to Reed’s continued survival.
He would not go back to the way things were before he’d teamed up with James, Henry, and Jackson. He’d rather perish first.
The lights of Drury Lane were shining brilliantly as they came to a halt.
Men and women of all ages and social status were walking through the doors and while Reed had only ever sat with the rest of the general public in the auditorium, tonight was going to be different.
He had been invited to one of the upper boxes that not only had the best view of the stage but also proclaimed loud and proud that these were people of consequence.
While he generally abhorred the nobility, he was also aware that they were a necessary evil.
Excitement pulsed through his veins and as they all stepped to the ground.
He held his arm out to Miss Kent and she took the offering with some definite prodding from her father’s unspoken glare.
As they made their way toward the entrance, Reed leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Surely being around me is not as terrible as you continue to pretend.”
“Trust me, there is no need to act with someone of your ilk,” she returned sourly.
“Hmm. It sounds to me as though someone is in dire need of a strong kiss.”
Her astonished gasp was well worth it as again, she was unable to reply.
The assemblage waiting to be seated had become too crowded and she was forced to hold her tongue.
However, as soon as she found it safe to do so, she leaned to the side and hissed in a low tone, “It is no wonder that the Belle targeted you in her column. You are truly without scruples or a moral compass. I daresay if you did it only points directly south!”
This time, Reed could not contain his amusement and allowed his laughter to escape. Naturally, this garnered a few curious glances in their direction. The blush that erupted on Miss Kent’s face was icing on the proverbial cake.
“You seem to know a lot about me considering we just met.”
“I know enough,” she returned sourly. “There are hundreds of rakes in society just like you. There is nothing special or remarkable about you in the least.”
Reed didn’t want the words to sting, but they hit their mark. Words from the past rose up to choke him. ‘You are nothing but a worthless scoundrel without a single redeeming quality.’
His tutors at school had continuously berated his actions. While some of the rebukes had likely been deserved, he felt as though being so harsh to a young child was also not necessary.
“In that regard, my lady, I suspect there are many in agreement with you. But that is a stigma I have decided to leave in the past.”
There was something in Mr. Carrington’s tone that caused Sariah to pause.
Until now, they had been having a particularly engaging exchange, but she’d gone too far.
She wouldn’t say she’d hurt his feelings, but there was definitely a stiffness to his shoulders, a firm set to his jaw, that was not there a few moments before.
Ugh. Was she now supposed to feel sorry for him? Until now she’d been doing quite well in resisting his charms which were, she grudgingly admitted, rather plentiful.
She decided that she would find a time to apologize if she had actually injured him. Whatever he might think of her, she did not want him to believe she was intentionally cruel.
They made their way inside the theatre box and Sariah tugged on her escort’s arm to make him halt. “Mr. Carrington, forgive me if I said anything to cause any discomfort—”
“Not to worry.” He patted her hand and smiled in a tolerant manner, as if expecting nothing less from her. “I am familiar with your particular mannerisms by this point, Miss Kent. Nothing you can say truly surprises me.”
How he managed to spin her efforts from guilt to annoyance with a mere twist of his words was nothing short of remarkable.
She took her seat, her lips pursed in frustration.
Thankfully, he did not join her, allowing her mother to take that position.
Instead, he sat beside her father, presumably to discuss business matters.
Sariah yearned to roll her eyes in frustration. Must it be that the only thing men talked about was politics and money rather than something of substance?
Deciding to ignore what was happening behind her, Sariah took her opera glasses out and scanned the other boxes around them.
She started with the Earl of Blasingame and Viscount Holdton, but to her dismay, her friends were not in attendance.
She mourned their loss but realized their absence likely meant that their parents were concerned that Sariah’s influence might mark them in an unsavory light.
Maggie and Ava knew that she was going to the theatre tonight, so their parents were likely curious to see how Sariah and their companion would be received.
She sat back, effectively disheartened. It was to be expected that they would not suffer the same strict consequences since they were not directly named in the Belle’s article. It was just another unjust retaliation against the fairer sex, in Sariah’s opinion.
During most of the initial the performance, Sariah was able to discount the man behind her and actually enjoy the opera. By the time intermission was upon them, she was looking forward to the second half.
“Shall I fetch you some punch?” her father asked. Both Sariah and her mother declined, and so he turned to Mr. Carrington. “Perhaps now might be a good time to introduce you to a couple of my colleagues.”
Mr. Carrington put a hand over his chest and inclined his head. “Lead the way, my lord.”
After they left, the baroness spied something of interest in another box. “Lady Arnold is here. I have been meaning to catch an audience with her.”
Sariah knew what that meant. Lady Arnold was a gossip. No doubt her mother was eager to gain the latest on dit as she slipped away.
Glad to be left to her own devices for a time, Sariah’s relief was particularly short lived when she was soon interrupted by an unwelcome visitor. “Miss Kent.”
She bristled at the slithering voice of Lord Baltimore. Every respectable lady in London avoided him like a snake because of his reputation. He had been banned from most polite gatherings, although the theatre was open to one and all.
“My lord,” she said stiffly, not bothering to rise to her feet.
“I admit I never knew you had it in you,” he murmured as he confidently slid into the seat next to her.
She frowned as he did then sat up straighter and glanced behind her, already planning her escape through the concealing curtains should it become necessary. “What exactly is that, my lord?”